Sketch
by Eva Maverx
Summary: AU: In which Rapunzel accidentally discovers one of Jack's sketchier part-time jobs.


**AN: Thank you Mic Mic for inspiring me to write a one shot for this couple and then doing the beta. She told me about Jackunzel week which I'm super excited for and it's what prompted this ^^ hope this is fun for some people to read**. **I was intending for this to be humor buuuuuttt it gets angsty anyway lol If there are any errors I'm sorry, I've checked this dozens of times**

"Hey Punz!"

Jack jogged through hordes of students forgoing any manners to follow a head of seemingly endless hair that rounded off around soft hips. And when enough people finally got out of his way that same gleaming trail gold he would follow anywhere lead his eyes down her back to the very appealing view white shorts presented. Stopping at her poised side, not even out of breath from the near sprint he took across the quad the instant she'd been spotted, he hoped the lingering gaze he let pet her tanned legs would go unnoticed. He knew she'd consider it punch worthy and he was starting to bruise from yesterday's exchange; thought girls liked being told they looked good enough to eat. Guess it only applied to vamp lovers.

She waited for him, headphones encircling her neck to blare something melodious by a violin, with that endearing little wrinkle in her nose that he loved instigating. People were fun to irritate, it seemed as natural of a talent for him as breathing and she was the best. It was like every little thing could set her off and he abused it to no ends for that was one of her many aspects that he favored the most. Her being a remarkable person with a forgiveness that extended farther than anyone else's and the most gorgeous girl he'd dare to snag in his net was just an unworldly bonus. And luckily for him she didn't seem up to punishing him for the leer.

"Told you I don't like that name."

He swung an arm around her shoulders, drawing her in tightly to his side, she stiffened and her trademark blush let him give his signature smirk. Easy as pie.

"Blondie then."

"...okay stop it."

Shrugging him off she continued her walk and he fell into step like always taking up his place of her personal shadow that he'd personally assigned the past few weeks. He held his arms up in peace when those sharp eyes gave him a dry look while her lips pressed tightly. He tried appearing genuine as possible until she seemed appeased and finally smiled back, a sight he strived to see everyday. He grinned and asked a question he'd been wanting to drop for several days.

"So did you have fun last weekend?"

He'd learned her different blushes, which most people wouldn't even know existed, but with her being the only person to make him care enough in ages, he'd memorized each one and their causes. This flourishing pink that spotted only her cheeks was one of pleasure which was nice to look at since it added to her puppy-cute appearance. Yet compared to his favored flush of frustration that went all the way down to burn the top of her chest with the right goading, it wasn't as nice to look at.

"Yes, thanks again for taking me."

"Glad you liked it." His smile was too cocky and she was dying to poke a hole in that pride she'd discovered was thicker than stone at times.

"Pretty typical for a date tho." Bingo, he actually faltered in his stride, letting her take wide steps ahead that he caught up to in seconds, looking amused but she saw that rare glint of irritation. She was starting to see why he had such a knack for provoking; it was fun.

"Whatcha mean?"

"Well dinner, movie, walk in the park. As nice as it was, you get a D for creativity."

He faked a pained wheeze of breath, grasping at his heart in phantom agony that made him swoon and bump into her hard enough they stumbled into the grass, "You wound me and here I thought I was bringing my A-game." It was cringe worthy but over the top exaggeration was preferable than letting her know he was actually irked by her comment. But her critique was enough to bring up a guard line that he'd normally keep collected around other women. Of course Rapunzel couldn't be considered normal for the mere thought he'd fall for someone ordinary was insulting.

"But in my defense, only special girls get something outside the norm. You gotta earn it. I've really only know you for like what, three months? And it was your first date ever, I didn't want to overwhelm your sheltered little mind. " Rapunzel rolled her eyes with a muttered 'please' while attempting not to look as huffy as she felt and tried to deter the conversation away from her joyless smog of a childhood.

"And out of curiosity what would this unique date be?"

Once she guided them back to the cement path she realized he hadn't answered yet. In fact even upon walking their brisk pace again the air between them was stagnant with silence to the point she actually wondered if he planned on answering at all. Was it really that personal of a question? Was he upset? Even being stubborn he wouldn't give her silent treatment. Either way the dead noise was beginning to suffocate her, black tangles creeping in her mind like roaches and she considered doing something out of her comfort zone just to get a reaction out of him. All she had to do was reach for that cold slack hand that swayed closely to her hip, grasp it in her clammy smaller one and force his attention to her with the touch. It was a well know fact that in their eccentric friendship Jack was as affectionate as a drugged cat while Rapunzel was still working on repressing ingrained urges of blind panic at a brush of skin. Said fact was founded through many encounters of Rapunzel screaming stranger danger, a few empty bottles of mace and at least two sets of stitches on Jack's head. She also learned that Jack had an unreal sense of humor; why else would he still be with her.

Wait, Rapunzel shook her head, she was getting off track, she needs to think about Jack and the reserved space between them that wasn't helping the flashes of dark curtains and cold stone nip her mind. Maybe mother was right in thinking she was ADD. Deep breath to stale her nerves, relinquish the urge to replace her headphones and work on that enigmatically simple gesture of taking his hand...

"Ice skating." A heartbeat's space away from their fingers touching he spoke and she fisted her hand so hard her knuckles cracked while trying not to beam how relived she felt that he finally spoke. His voice was already caging her demons so she could concentrate on his answer.

"Ice skating?"

"Yea, I've only done that with one very special girl. And sorry sweet cheeks, you ain't there yet."

This time he was able to dodge her nudge that morphed into a shoulder check and let her blunder by into an outstretched arm that placed her beside him. She was too much fun to bait but it was something he'd never dream to tire of.

Once again shaking his arm off she veered from the usual path of the parking lot and he walked with her curiously before stating, "Thought your next class wasn't till three."

"I did but a seat opened up in figure drawing and I've tried to get in that for a year!"

She squealed, clutching her bag with her childish excitement she didn't notice the look pass quickly on Jack's face.

"You have it now?"

"Yep."

He was contemplating something that made him smile too wide for her comfort, it was smiles like that let lead to her patience being tested. "Don't they draw nude people?"

"I guess."

"Are you going to be able to handle that Punz?" She punched his arm but he didn't try to dodge. He'd take any contact she was willing to give, as unconventional as it was.

"I'm not as innocent as you think Jack." It physically hurt to stop his laugh but this conversation was too good to interrupt now.

"Uh huh I bet the only naked person you've ever seen is yourself."

"Nuh uh!" She sure was favoring his left arm today.

"The campus streaker doesn't count."

"He stood in front of me for a whole five seconds, before you punched him out."

"Sorry, next time a naked guy tries to rub his junk on you I won't get in the way. Sadly now I know I'm not your type. You like it weird and fuzzy. " Another hit and he was almost ready to admit they were starting to hurt, but he wouldn't dare tell her to stop. Love is pain or something like that right. Wasn't that a saying?

"He was really hairy."

"Like an ugly baby yeti" She convulsed with an eye twitch and he did a mix of gag and gargle before they dissolved into a comfortable laughter. Before he noticed they'd arrived at the class door that was both their destinations but for far more diverse, and possibly deal breaker, reasons.

In the class room she picks an empty canvas and stool, setting her bag down to retrieve her purple pencil and brush case, humming way to happily in Jack's opinion. While she's distracted in turning her music down to a decent level, sounded like a mix of metal and opera now, Jack nodded to the teacher when she passed by. He sighed, cursing the world and probably a bit of karma because he couldn't deny past hijinks would easily solicit this, then plopped his own bag next to Rapunzel's catching her attention so she looked up inquisitively.

"I didn't know you were taking art classes." Her smile was radiant and it made his stomach twist but he masked it with a smooth smile.

"I don't."

"Will you watch my stuff?" He asked too quickly for her to respond in any other way but a quiet, "Sure" as she'd becoming rather perplexed that he'd unzipped his trademark cobalt hoodie, tossing it to the ground to work on pulling the plain white t-shirt.

"J-Jack what are you doing?"

"Well remember when I said I had a few odd jobs?" Not giving himself the leniency to hesitate he stripped the t-shirt off a bit quicker and rougher than needed but his unexpected reward was her face.

Her reaction to his bare chest was amusing as all she seemed capable of was a head nod, it let him slip back into his character and whip his belt off a bit theatrically. Fingers flicked the button open single-handedly with a skilled practice so he could shimmy down jeans and boxers in one fell swoop that left Rapunzel squealing alarm. Toping his pile of clothes with his sandals like a dirty sundae cherry he strut towards the center platform in the room, hopping on with his god given grace and turned back to smirk a bit weakly.

"You're looking at one of em."

Son of a biscuit.

"Ms I realize this is your first time in this class and that you are also a young adult primarily ruled by your hormones. But if you wish to stay in this class I need you to stop molesting the model with your eyes and draw him."

The voice was cynical enough she swore it bit her skin and it could only belong to one person that Rapunzel was already lamenting she had to turn around to.

How someone of Helga Pataki's...caliber was head of the writing department yet taught art classes was a mystery the school had on its own, much like who'd filled councilor Aster's office with snow but Rapunzel had a suspect in mind. Rapunzel didn't try to follow stereotypes but when all her other art teachers had been the predicted free spirit, flowing dresses, and 'herbal' smelling hair, the contrast of Pataki was alarming. Pin straight blonde hair, a fearsome scowl on a rather pretty face and business clothes pertaining in shades of black but with the ever constant speck of pink. The only sparkle of a personality on her was a golden heart locket decorating her neck that she clutched with lifeline ferocity on the rare occasion.

Flushing Rapunzel sat down a bit forcefully on her stool, digging in her bag while drowning out most of the laughter by the rush of blood in her ears, all except Jack's. That deep throaty laugh that sounded so delicious made some of her perverse fantasies involve licking that neck when it produced that heat inspiring sound.

Why only this rather peculiar guy conjured up such dangerous and foreign thoughts and feelings throughout her body was as confusing as why people used that thing called tweet. Or was it twitter? Pitter?

Starke bare in his confidence and ease that poured out of every movement from his body he took a simple standing posture then room fell into a sudden hush. She might have gone crazy if she didn't have the steady hum of her music around her neck, classical was the present shuffle choice but she felt NIN would fit the moment better. Or maybe some dirty Britney. Concentration was a laughable notion for her, she hadn't even come close to absorbing the most startling minute of her life and now she was being tasked to study her naked crush. And the one dominating thought that wouldn't stop circling her mind was that he had a tattoo just below his left collarbone next to what looked like a small shiny patch of scar tissue. The scar was awfully close to his..

"I'm sexy and I know it..."

Almost falling off her stool to turn around in time and catch the musical culprit Rapunzel spied a glimpse of a girl hidden by an enormous cloud of insane red ringlets a few seats back. Observing the chortling girl who clutched her phone that played the odd song Rapunzel realized she knew her, from a few other classes and talk around the campus that revolved around a temper that matched her fiery hair and rumors of European royalty. Mary? Minerva?

"Ms Dunbroch that song is disgustingly over played and your phone is now mine till the end of class."

Pataki's fabled reflexes snatched the phone like a snake and a glare silenced the red-head in a strangled squeak. Gossip circulated she'd caught most foul balls bare handed in her childhood without a flinch and for once Rapunzel was willing to indulge in that being a potential truth. A whip crack of her hair in her turn and Pataki left the steaming girl, placing the phone in her desk.

Next to the ginger a boy with a mop of brown hair and a fashion sense that resembled a hipster viking couldn't contain his amusement enough before she noticed and walloped him hard enough to knock him off his stool. "Shut up Hiccup." she hissed venomously.

Her teacher was surely mental if she thought assigning the task of sketching Jack was simple; yeah, simple like convincing her mother she wasn't going to be corrupted by college. Rapunzel took a small but welcomed comfort that she wasn't the only one affected, though the others may not feel it as irrevocably as her. She let out a deep sigh while receiving a scolding from her inner self. How could she let a guy affect the art she worked so dearly at? This is what she was here for and it shouldn't matter who was the model because she was here to do what she loved. Straightening her back with resolve she gripped her pencil in a white fist and dared to look back at her personal poison and cure.

W-wait...

Was he...?

"Oh god..." she whimpered just as a faint snickering started at the back of the room and trickled infectiously around till it caught Ms Pataki's attention, whose only sign of amusement became a raised black eyebrow.

"Mr Frost while I can see you as a raging fan of Magic Mike I'll have to ask you to refrain from gyrating your hips. It defeats the purpose of still portraits and you're distracting most of my female, and a few male, students."

Snorting back a laugh that ignited around the room, except by one very flustered blonde and the few blushing men, Jack nodded. Murmured an apology before rolling his shoulders and raising his arms to clasp behind his head, hunching his back in mid stretch then becoming very still.

Resonance of lead scraping paper encompassed the room once more but all Rapunzel could hear, even over the blaring techno from her ipod, was her racing heart. He wasn't looking away from her. Why in Pascal's name wasn't he looking away?! Those blue orbs she'd day dreamed about in her less droll classes, were almost unbearably fierce. She couldn't look away, more afraid that if she did her own would take that dangerous trip downwards. Down his long neck, outlining the black snowflake below his collarbone, taunted by the hard lines of his stomach, choking on air from the tight skin along his hip bones...

But when Pataki's steps sauntered in her direction Rapunzel panicked, clambering through her pencil box with as much grace as a beached fish to find a single sketching lead. Her hand was frantic, drawing lines she already hated but desperate to show progress as the hawk of woman came up on her side, pausing in a terrible solace before speaking.

"Too rough on your strokes Ms..."

"Gothel ma'am." What a pathetic squeak of an answer.

"Follow the contours and lines of his body like you were his lover, not as if you're trying to skin him alive."

Good lord did she really need to say that?! That stupid smirk on Jack's face was megaphone-like in letting her know he had heard.

He changed positions, crouching low to sit, stretching one leg out then raising the other to wrapped an arm around and staring off into the space before him. She couldn't have been more grateful as her view he was now modestly covered enough to sketch properly and with Pataki moving to a new victim Rapunzel tore off her last attempt. With an acoustic Flyleaf softly spilling in her ears and mind, her muse took control in an orderly fashion and let the pencil flit across her canvas shadowing the unique set of lines and curves of his body.

Planning to never tell him, his ego was already torrid to the point she'd swear it at a smell, she admired his physique. Most said he looked washed out with ice white hair accompanied by his permanently frostbitten tinted skin, that in her mind thought resembled a nicely wrapped present covering a toned body. He wasn't lanky but he wasn't brawny, more like he didn't have a useless piece of flesh on his body...limbs lined with lean muscle he was...perfect.

'Stop it!' She barked at herself. Time seemed slow yet before she knew it the tell-tale sound of the clock tower resounded distantly and Pataki barked for everyone to clean up quickly. People filed out before Rapunzel even got her own bag packed, Pataki muttering she'd be back to lock up and disappearing like the ninja she'd been suspected of.

Then it was only Rapunzel and the naked man walking towards her.

Does she get points for keeping her eyes above his neckline? Cause she felt there should be a ginormous trophy presented with trumpets and cookies for her as the task was already nauseating difficult in its own. But with Jack's gazing at her that way, with a look she hadn't seen from him before... Well her tank top became suffocating tight yet the sweater hanging off her shoulders suddenly wasn't covering her enough. Who was the naked one again?

She blinked and he was already looping the black belt in the loose black jeans that she wished he'd fasten, for they still gave a teasing view of his hips that screamed a horizontal invitation. The barbaric impulse to touch him was dizzying.

"So you saw the goods."

Wanting to be mad at the smirk and him left her staring blankly as her reasoning sedated her mind that she had no real purchase to be angry. She'd wait to see what direction this would go instead before daring any words she may not be able to take back. Last thing she wanted was to scare this tantalizingly baffling man away.

"Does it secure a second date?"

While glad and yet a little disheartened he was taking the comical escape she cursed that infuriating smirk that left her wit slow and lacking on her reply.

"You get more points for finesse than the streaker. And lucky for you, hairy isn't my type."

His hand ran over smooth bare chest in question, jeez like she needed him to emphasis this raw view, but he did laugh. Maybe his laugh was real, maybe it was as manipulated as her own to aid easing into the pool of calamity they were tip toeing by. Can of worms she'd learned was probably a more known term. Modeling naked was an odd sort of job, yes. Definitely not the norm for a college boy since no alcohol was prompting him, so why was he doing it? And as interesting as that particular answer could be, it wasn't rounding the current puzzlement coil in her head.

"Why do you have so many jobs Jack?"

He shrugged trying to pull off nonchalant while keeping his emotions that were raging like a blizzard beneath his chest trapped inside and safe. Definitely not how he planned this day to go. It was to be a well-earned simple day that would require very little thinking; turn in that stupid paper on salt, charm/con Rapunzel into a second date, do this mind numbing job then beat the school bus home. So who hated him so much? Pataki? Thought she was over that prank. He couldn't reassure her enough it was just apple juice but whatever, woman held a grudge like those creepy japanese ghost chicks.

"College kid, need money for ramen, alcohol and the occasional school book."

"I get that Jack, but you are here on scholarship. And I work too, but you have like four jobs."

He snatched up the rest of his clothes and bag, following his flight instinct that was rearing its head and allowing a bit of optimism that she'll most likely shy down since it seemed her own instinct, he tried not look like he was running out the door.

"Jack."

She grasped his bare arm, telling herself to later be confounded at how his skin could be so cool but incite a yearning fire on her own, and pulled till he reluctantly turned back. His eyes were wide to look at her tight grip. If he thought she didn't notice this rather monumental step for her he was wrong, she was just trying devotedly to not let it become what was important here. What mattered at this very second was Jack. To let him know that this moment was solely for him she slipped the chunky headphones from her neck and let them fall dead with the ipod on her bag. She was grateful his face let her know he comprehended her never practiced gesture but she still withdrew her hot hand and cocooned her torso with her arms for modest comfort.

"Please Jack...tell me something real..." Was her smile reassuring enough? "For once."

Silence was something that would always bother her because it gave a feel of helplessly drowning in her own body.

It'd been quiet in her house all her childhood for she was primarily alone. Even when her mother was home she gave quiet words, keeping them simple, few and very coarse. Leaving that house had been necessary for Rapunzel's health, whether her mother would ever agree didn't matter, it's not like she accepted the truth about why anyways. Out in the real world her headphones kept her safe from the black and she wore them everywhere, even in her sleep. Once on they kept her mind at bay, it didn't matter what was playing for she listened to anything and they let her feel like a semi functioning person.

Now Jack was in her life and he'd become her walking melody of soul. Jack was never quiet, it was as physically impossible for him to be silent as it was for someone to lick their elbow. Not pretty to think about but still true; her intellectual process was a bit warped in the presence of Jack anyway. He'd noticed her 'quirk' as he'd worded it one day but she brushed it off a bit more caustic than her norm and they'd never mentioned it again. Yet she couldn't help notice he was by her side a bit more often with a few more pointless things to rattle off than usual. It'd truly touched her and had driven her to acquiesce the date offer when he asked by the seventh time that day.

But now he was quiet for the second time today and with each passing moment of silence from him she felt her sanity tick away with it. She couldn't push him, it was discernible in his body language that if she dared this window would close and lock to possibly never be touched again. So she kept collected even as a little girl's scream vibrated in only her eardrums. Then till he took a small liberating breath.

"Some years ago my parents and I were in a car crash when they were driving me home."

When his fingertips ghosted over the scar on his chest she thought her own heart would stop in unfiltered panic at the realization of the skin malformation's horrifying origins. Self restraint stretched to keep herself rooted and hear listlessly but a few words got past her lips in a scratchy whisper. "So that.."

"We were impaled by steel pipes off the truck that hit us. It gave me this scar and took my parents."

Don't say anything, she chanted in her head, wait till he's done. Don't say anything or try to touch him. Don't cry. Don't do anything. Oh please don't cry.

She didn't know where the strength to keep in the string of tears behind her eyes came from but she was glad that for once her body did what she wanted and maintained an illusion of control. The scar. It was an inch away from where his heart rested. If he wasn't standing before her so beautifully alive and breathing, she'd question the audacity of a survival rate with such a wound.

"I was the one that had to tell my sister the next day. She was five and I became her only family at fifteen."

Iced over blue eyes flew him back in that stiff hospital bed. A room so rank with blood and bleach it left foulness in his parched mouth. It was quiet and loud at the same time; quite a conundrum he'd think later. Voices weren't echoing even from the endless hallways behind the door where shadows of staff spirited by in herds. Yet his own breathing was noisy while it gurgled in pain and sedation that dripped by clear tubing into his veins.

It'd taken an hour before he was pried out of the mangled care where he'd been skewered and forced to stare at the placid and growing ever colder bodies of his parents. Many dark and painful thoughts swelled within him in that wormhole of a time but only one brought him back from the edge of psychotic ruin. How was he even going to dare telling her? That her jokester of a brother who still tried on a daily basis that dumb shirt stain prank to flick her nose, was all the she had.

And when she sat solemnly at the bed's edge, never looking away from his watering eyes he knew he didn't have to say it. He'd already spoken everything by simply looking at her. He didn't even get to comfort her for she didn't succumb to her sorrow until North took her for the night. Alone in a strange room she cried, without him. The rest of that night bled into blaring alarms, swarms of gloved hands and blood flowing in his throat.

Apple green eyes rescued him from the dark eclipse of that day as Rapunzel stepped directly before him.

"Little intense, right?" His chuckle was bitter and had to be pushed up his throat as it'd been clogged recollecting that day. Now he watched the girl for the standard reaction of either stifling misplaced pity or the awkward get away that ended with a full on sprint. Force kept his eyes down and not show how much he truly yearned for her to stay and treat him with some normalcy. To stay and talk with him. Maybe she'd stay on her own. Would it really be too much to have her to stay? Just stay...

"What's her name?"

The fact she asked a follow-up question and was still standing before him, looking rather expectantly at him placed him in an unfamiliar state of bewilderment and made his chest compress in welcoming awe. "Jack?"

Shaking his head to disperse the haze starting to grip its corners he turned away to bring his senses back and steady his voice. It was easy to tell someone he had a traumatic event, what was hard was sharing the most private part of his heart surrounding his sister. "Grace.."

"Does she live with you? In that house you rent?" Her voice was questioning but not forceful, left airy and open to his will.

"Yea umm," Wow he was having so many issues with composing his thoughts you'd think she was the one standing half-naked in the room. But with those eager eyes that were drinking in every word he'd spoken she might as well have been, her wholly given interest was more distracting than he thought it'd be.

"You know Professor North? Geography department? Looks like a mafia Santa Claus."

Both chuckled and she nodded, drumming up the memory of the unnaturally large force of a man whose voice boomed the entire building he taught at. It was a humorous day when she'd dared to follow Jack to the classroom to witness a rather epic battle of wits between the two that bristled North so his accent grew thicker than syrup and was screaming in Russian. One minute staring contest later the two burst into body shaking laughter, North slapping Jack's back hard enough to drop him like a sack of rocks.

"He's an old family friend. Owns the house we live at and if it wasn't for that I couldn't afford to live there. Being a part-time tech support, tutor and model doesn't pay as good as it sounds."

"Aster and North keep me updated on small jobs around the campus. When I'm here Grace is either at school or with them, sometimes Tooth if she's free."

"I work the jobs for her. Get her clothes, toys, books, you wouldn't believe how much she reads." The small laugh he gave was honest and for a moment he let it carry him to dream of the two girls meeting, already predicting the instant companionship from bonding over novels he'd have no clue about. Talking of fictional characters and events as if they were as real as the very sun and moon...

"She's the special girl isn't she?"

His head bobbed a small acknowledgement.

"A couple of months after the accident, to try to cheer her up I took her ice skating like we did when we were little."

The joy seeping back into Grace's warm brown eyes, saying his name like she use to filled with love and adoration that day. It had given him new breath for life and he vowed everything he did and everything he may lose, it was worth it all for her. A speck of himself ached that the girl standing before him wouldn't be in the ever growing latter.

"After that she was back to her old self, like nothing had ever happened and it had always been the two of us." He whispered, hands tightening and loosening to brace the resolve that was itching under his skin to make him turn back around to Rapunzel and stare her straight in those impossibly large eyes.

"It's like something out of a Sparks novel right? Young guy burdened by family tragedy, who will be the lucky girl to fix him? But funny thing is Punz..."

His eyes were so cold she felt physically wounded by them each second she didn't look away, afraid if she did he wouldn't continue and seal up this precious honesty she'd started.

"Not as many girls go for that as you'd think. Even then, I don't need help. I'm not damaged goods or a lost soul. Lonely as it seems I'm fine just the way I am and if the only girl to ever be in my life is Grace...thats fine by me." Try as he might he couldn't keep the rise of emotion out of at those last words, not wanting her to know how real the fear of being alone was eating him inside as it had the past few years. And after meeting her, where she unknowingly dangled fantasies before his very eyes with only her smile, the pain in his chest seemed a touch more sharp than other days.

"I don't want to fix you Jack." Her voice caught tight in her throat. "You aren't broken."

That penetrating gaze looked like lightening from under his silvery bangs and it started a tremor in her. She fathomed he'd always pertain the ability to capture her mental state with those orbs and they spoke louder than his voice that moment "So...what do we do now?"

She tried not be put off by the edge in his tone, he was already predicting the worst from her and she didn't want to let him know how much that actually hurt her. Instead she let whatever emotion was coursing in the body to move it those few feet that kept the two of them separated and endangered the safety they felt in that distance.

Tension was radiating off his body with each slow step she took, unease and question burning in his eyes and whether he would admit it or not she saw a spot of fear. He's scared, of what she was going to say to a young man who had more baggage then any girl would sanely want to take on. And she was well aware he'd placed a trust he kept in check on her, a girl who'd been sheltered her entire life. A girl who until a week ago didn't know what the 'bases' were till Jack acted each out rather descriptive till she screamed at him to stop because they were in biology class. She had to let him know he'd placed that trust correctly.

Going well past her own comfort level, that she felt almost didn't seem valid around him anyway, she only stopped when their chests brushed with each heavy breath the other took. Up close each muscle looked painfully tight from his jaw line down, stretching into long strong arms. A shaky breath of encouragement filled her lungs that she forced out seconds later as her face inched forward to the ivory tone skin. Pausing above her goal she willed her eyes up to his wide ones, something new swirling in them that she dared to hope wasn't anger as she didn't look away when she pressed her lips to the smooth scar in a delicate kiss.

You'd think her touch was scalding the way his breath stuttered yet he didn't pull away and the longer the touch kept she could feel his body become lax. The gaze they hadn't broken the entire time only wavered when his eye lids fluttered as his mouth opened and closed in what seemed like turmoil. Parting from his chest she couldn't help glimpsing at the scar up close and the black lines of the intricate yet frail snowflake before looking back to him. If she thought he couldn't look anymore all-consuming she'd of bet wrong and it made her insides boil.

She really wondered if her skin should just stay in a perpetual state of red as she uttered the next words that may lead to a future with this man that's permanent side effect on her was her scorching hot skin.

"Can we go ice skating...with Grace?"

The smile on his face was the stunning because it was true and wide, reaching all the way up to his now dancing eyes that had lite upon hearing her words. Their laughs were loud and resounding in the large room as he scooped her up around her waist to spin in dizzy circles like the a love struck couple they didn't even know they were yet. Her heart hammered, the thrill of feeling like a movie princess in his arms till he slackened them to let her fall to his chest and capture her mouth lavishly with his. She was more than eager to surrender, letting him consume her in way she'd never experienced before or dare think she ever would. His hands ran up her body to cradle her jaw and back of neck letting him have beautiful control to angle her head with each sweep of his firm mouth till her own weakly opened in consent.

Was her vitality out of control from these touches because they were terrifyingly alien and use to represent all that she'd been guided to reject? Or because they surged her blood so agonizingly chaotic she actually questioned why it felt like he wasn't touching enough of her skin with his own?

He'd only kissed her chastely on her cheek on their date as a farewell, proving more virtuous than she'd ever mistake him of. If she'd known this passion was what awaited her, slumbering inside both of them; she would have ended that night much differently, more along the lines rumpled clothes and dented walls.

Seconds melded into minutes and it became apparent he wasn't sure he'd have enough of this woman's lips, taking the time to taste more with the tip of his tongue to her prying one. He wanted everything she had to offer, everything she implied with that simple but overpowering caress that showed her acceptance of his everything; he wanted her heart, body and soul. And he'd do anything to keep her, his personal drop of sunshine.

When her breasts began to heave, which he wondered if from his weighty heartbeat against hers, and her intakes of breath through her nose were rapid and deep he gave her a painful mercy and drew away. Later he'd tease her for the wanton whimper she let out but for the moment he took more pleasure in peppering kisses over her face, starting on her forehead.

"There's more there isn't it Jack?..."

His lips stayed, not expecting her to try continuing their venture into locked away pasts and he waited for her to speak again.

"Under the surface...there's something else..."

"Yes..." Painted baby blue fingernails traced the black lines designing something fragile and personal to his heart. With this delicate touch he could read that she desired to know its meaning. And one day he planned on telling, laying her down to confide in the utmost secrecy of their flesh meetings. Letting her absolve him from the frozen ebony lake that retained his jagged fragments in the abysmal depressions of his wounds. She'd melt it like she did to every part of his being already with her warm center. Because he knew she could handle it, she could handle him and in return he'd doctor her own anguish.

"There is...but we'll talk about it..."

But that wasn't today.

"When you're ready to tell me why you wear those headphones.." She stiffened, her face stayed safe and concealed in his chest and making it easier for him to pry that extra needed inch.

"And why I see a darkness in your eyes and you tremble any time it's quiet.."

As expected he felt the deterioration of her mindset in the steady quake of her body. Forcing her to look up he made his voice a soothing rumble, fondling her bottom lip with his calloused thumb pad. "I know you can't tell me now." A gentle push of his lips on her puffy ones that were open in speechless state brought a little spark to her gaze. "We'll both talk when we're ready...deal?"

"Deal." Rapunzel was finally able to say with a muster of strength in her throat.

"Best deal I'll ever make." Sneaking a lustful kiss that was kept short but still left her moaning of insatiability Jack tried to lighten the mood since the atmosphere condensed with infected emotions and stale pain and he was aching her smile again.

"I can be a real pain, according to Grace."

"You say it like it's something new." She laughed.

"She's going to come first for a long time." Kissing to the corner of her enchanting eye, just below the brow, he caught staggering acceptance filling them like tears as she murmured sweetly,

"I completely understand."

"Things are going to get stressful at times, think you can deal?" This time he feathered the small space around her ear where she'd dot lotion that smelled of jasmine and sugar.

"I just spent an hour staring at and drawing your junk. I deal better than you give me credit."

"Hope you did me justice." Below her jaw line a pulse fluttered beneath his lips when he began to take a detour down her neck for the welcoming skin her sweater fell from.

"I'll make comparisons later."

A deep throaty laugh rumbled his chest that he gathered her into, squeezing till she almost couldn't breathe but even then she wouldn't give a word in protest. Nuzzling her face into the bare crook of his smooth neck to inhale that exclusive scent of mint and pine, she did stop breathing at his next words.

"Is it too soon to say I may love you?"

His voice was tentative and he kept his arms tight to prevent her from looking up at him when she tried, scared of what she may see on his face that his words didn't already betray. Wiggling enough he had no choice but to release her yet keeping firm on her hips so he could trace the waist of her shorts with his fingertips. When he wouldn't look to her face she gently cupped his jaw to guide it, giving a soft smile to lure him out of his stupor.

"I'll let it pass this time. But next time, you have to mean it." He smiled and kissed her nose, letting his teeth lightly nip at its end. "Who says I didn't."

"And don't think I haven't noticed your improvement." Emphasizing the last word by a gentle bite to her plump bottom lip he kept a wary eye on her. Her limits had been officially obliterated and set on fire in a matter of minutes and there had to be repercussions any moment now. As much this new side of her was addicting like a new narcotic drug with it's bold and sure gestures, it wasn't the Rapunzel he'd followed like a puppy from day one. He would celebrate the day she liberates the hooks of her childhood and become whatever woman she may be; he'd adore every part of her she was and would come to be. But she wasn't there yet and he saw it, for a brief flicker of manic in those impossibly large irises, as her body seem to succumb to case of rigor mortis.

"I-I'm fine actually..."

A desperate hope swelled in his chest, fed by delicate fingers tangling hair at the back of his suddenly very sensitive neck and that gentle upturn of her edible mouth. Her voice was anything but sure, stumbling on simple words that seemed thick on her tongue, and if he wasn't looking equally at firm emeralds he wouldn't believe her proclamation.

"It's you...and I'm okay..."

Then she dared to kiss only the corner of his seeking mouth and speak of promised sweet punishments that he swore he'd make her hold up to when they weren't in a public area.

"Doesn't mean I still won't hit you later."

_fin_

**AN: Omg you have no idea how happy I am that this is done. It's been distracting me from my other Jackunzel story and I actually thought I'd never finish it. With how much blood and sweat and sugar consuming went into this I hope some people enjoy it ^^ yay Jackunzel week! And if anyone makes any kinda flame comment that art class models don't get paid, I don't care. Lets imagine Helga paid him to do it cause she was tried of old men n women doing it, idk care so don't make a stink about it.**


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